My Home Ideas

Special Offers

Be the first to know about This Old House contests, sweepstakes, and events and receive special offers and promotions from your favorite home improvement brands. We'll even send you regular reminders to enter our sweepstakes.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

TOH wants to know your best of times, and your worst of times

We know from your stories that your house is more than a house; it’s a home. It’s where you throw the dinner party to show off your kitchen renovation; it’s also where your neighbors gather to help you clean up that flooded basement.

We want to hear more of your stories. How has your house played a role in your life, both good and bad?

Re: TOH wants to know your best of times, and your worst of times

This was definitely a worst of times story

During the major remodel of my house I was not able to live in my house for about a year. It was easy to leave all my tools at the house and go their after work and on the weekends and just get right to work. It is a quiet neighborhood and the house is not obstructed by anything so I figured it was pretty safe. Well one Friday afternoon in May I brought a friend by to see the progress. At first I didn't really notice anything as I kept most of the tools in the basement out of the way. Anyway I realize that the back door is not shut all the way. OK I figure I just didn't close it all the way no big deal. Then I look over and notice my 12" sliding miter saw is not on its stand. Then the panic kicks in. I get down to the basement and all my drills, nail guns, saws, ladders, are gone. I go outside and the lock on my trailer is busted open and they got all the tools that were in there. Devastating to say the least. The real kick in the teeth however was when I arrive back at the house the next Saturday was they came back and stole the trailer (which I thought was securely locked enough) and my gas grill (which was chained to the shed). Insurance covered it all fortunately but then they dropped me and now I have to pay double on home owners insurance for at least 3 years. The worst part of it all however is not being able to have trust. When I was young we never had to lock the doors at my parent's house. Now there have been several times when I've had to turn around after leaving the house to double check that the doors are locked or that I remembered to close the garage door. Hope this is a good lesson to others so it doesn't happen to them.

Re: TOH wants to know your best of times, and your worst of times

When we bought this house, we knew it would be our "final" home. It's big enough for our family, has a beautiful yard, is in a nice town, and has loads of potential. Unfortunately, previous owners did a number on it. . . the remuddlings were unkind, to say the least. Over the years, we've been slowly but surely making it ours and reversing the bad fixes and poor choices. Then my husband lost his job last year. We were totally unprepared,thrown for a loop. We suddenly had time on our hands to work on projects, but no money to finish them. So, our house became one big unfinished project after another. But we had this time TOGETHER.

Just within the last month, my husband went back to work. We are making plans to complete projects around the house. It'll definitely take us a long time to get back to where we were, but we know we'll do it. We've learned alot of interesting things. . . things like you can still cook a fantastic dinner in a kitchen with no ceiling and you can still have a blast playing a game with the kids in a room with unfinished bookcases. It's being a family that matters. Everything else will get done. . . eventually.

Re: TOH wants to know your best of times, and your worst of times

Many years ago, I did a light remodel in the laundry room of my brother's 80-year-old house to accommodate a stacking washer and dryer, in addition to a standard top-load washer. The project involved plumbing, electrical, and venting.

Somehow, I managed to get all of the materials I needed in one trip to one hardware store with no leftover parts, started and finished the project the same day, and had time to hang out with friends in the evening.

I don't think that I will ever see another DIY project with that degree of coordination. Everybody I tell this to accuses me of fabricating stories.

The "Senior Member" designation under my name doesn't mean I know a lot, it just means I talk a lot.I've been a DIYer since I was 12 (thanks, Dad!). I have read several books on various home improvement topics. I do not have any current code books I can refer to. I was an apprentice plumber for two years.